Jolie meets Mr. C!

Jolie announced that she wanted to go see Santa Claus. She was pretty set on us making that happen. We have not been to see Santa in a very long time in this house. Even though he's on our tree, and we have a dancing santa, and we watch the occasional Santa movie, we don't really 'do' the Santa thing around here. BUT since she kept talking about it, and I am pretty sure noticed a few photos of the older kids with Santa over the years. She wanted to go. So yesterday, I dressed her in her festive dress, she applied lipstick and off we went. We loaded up to see Santa at the closest mall. I was hoping for a pretty Santa, you know one with a real beard.

When we arrived, Santa was on break. LOL...but was due back right then, in fact he was pushing 10 mins. late. SO this ole momma stood right there in line before the masses arrived. Soon, There he was the red suited fellow himself. I took Jolie, and sat her in his lap. She didn't cry but she would not look at him nor smile. SO santa said we'd do a family photo. Shek and Karlie would not participate, so it was just Karl and me, and Jolie. She finally warmed up to him before it was over, and even hugged him goodbye.

Jolie meets Santa!

As we walked out of Santa's Mall Village, Karl paid for our package and the lady handed us our photos. I showed Jolie and she drooped her jaw and gasped, "OHHHHHHHHHH". She has been very proud of her photos, and fell asleep on the way home looking at them.

I am glad she had fun meeting Mr. C. I've told her that he represents the Spirit of Giving at Christmas time.

Good Christmas Reads

Do we not look totally charming and unposed here?

I have lots of Children's picture books. Having been a preschool teacher and Sunday School teacher for a few years, a momma for 20 and a homeschooling momma too, I have quite the collection of kids' books. Of course, Christmas being my favorite, I have a lot of Christmas choices.

The other day, Shek and I had packed up my book tote with all of our Christmas books to take to Sunday School. I grabbed that packed bag and told Jolie to pick out one or two to read before bedtime. I knew which one was her favorite last year, and I wondered if it would still be her pick this year, and it was.

Jolie's favorite is Mary Did You Know? Since it's a song, we sing it when we read it. 

Here she is singing her favorite book...Don't you love her makeup? She applied it herself!

  When I started to read, the big kids piled in the bed too asking for their favorites. I was touched to see my seventeen year old girl grab her childhood favorite and then my 11 year old grab his. I told Karl he should take our photo, but I rethought that because I really did not want a blog post with a photo of us in our pjs, or should I say me in my pjs. 

Family favs:

Shek's pick is Silver Packages by Cynthia Rylant

Karlie's Pick is The Legend of the Candy Cane by Lori Walburg

Jolie's pick is Mary did you Know by Mark Lowry

Mom's pick is Piper's Night before Christmas  by Mark Lowry(it rhymes)...but mom really likes them all.

So last night, we "posed" with our favorites. Some of our  favorites are pictured above. I don't know which is Zach's favorite. I am sure he has one, because he is all about those family traditions we do each year.

Shek loves Silver Packages. He loved trains as a little boy, maybe that's why this is his favorite.

Shek insisted that I post this photo. It really sums up how interested they were in posing for my blog post photos. 

Merry Christmas and Happy Reading y'all!

Where ya been?

When we returned home from Speech today, I saw Zach's car in the driveway behind Karl's truck. Jolie didn't notice, and I didn't mention it. We came in and went upstairs to Karl's "office" and there sat Zach. Jolie was busy telling Dad about speech, and then she noticed him, and stopped in her tracks. At lunch she didn't start out by sitting with him, but then inched over to his side of the table and ate with him.
He asked, "Are you glad to see me?"
She said, "YES!" kissed his face and asked, "Where ya been?"
"I've been at school, but I am home for a Christmas. I'll be here a loooong time." answered Zach.
And to that she smiled. And this Momma is glad to have all of her chickens in the nest at the same time once again.
Let the good times roll....and sometime soon, some people around here need to go Christmas shopping! Since we have not even started. YIKES!

We said Cheese!

Every year, my family despises the dreaded Christmas card photo. In fact I think they hate it with a passion if there is such a thing. This year, I thought instead of getting the tri-pod out and trying to do it ourselves, I would get a real photographer to do the job. However, getting a  family photo with Zach away at college has proved to be a challenge. THEN, my friend, Melissa told me about her son's girlfriend, an art major who has a photography business. In fact we used to go to the same church. AND she was available over Thanksgiving break when we were all at home. She even came to our house, got to love a photographer that will make house calls.

 We took photos by the barn and around our yard. 

She  brought awesome props and made us look cute. Would you believe, no one fussed. It's worth it to get a professional involved.

She took lots of photos, and made us feel at ease. We had a blast. I really loved all the photos she took; it was hard to chose the ones I loved best. Enjoy some of our favorites.

I loved our happy smiles in this one.

I love how the sun is shining through the trees, and how Billy's old house is in the distance.

Look at us! Color-coordinated, pleasant-faced, and eyes-opened! Woohoo.

Don't you love the expression on the big kids? Check out the look of satisfaction on Jolie's face.  She looks pleased that she has wrapped her sibs up in the lights.

My kiddos.

She captured our sassiness here.

If you need your picture snapped check out CAM photography. She is sure to capture your personality as you say ChEeSe!